Jazz

refer to edited post. :)

If furcal is resigned for anything close to 8 mil, then Giles becomes very available IMO. Im guessing if furcal, Hendrys alleged number #1 target, becomes unavailable, he could pursue the same kind of mix of defense, speed, and contact hitting (with OBP that we need no less, but dont tell him that ;)), from Giles. And of course the reprocutions of having Brian look at the cubs more seriously arent that bad either :) Giles for Walker+Williams/Hill? Giles+C. Jones for Walker+Williams/Hill+Patterson The latter i believe the braves would jump on because they come out excepetionally well ahead in the money dept., as they unload Chippers 17 Mil contract + giles potentially 5 mil contract, and only take on about 4.5 back, leaving them +17.5 mil. Also, they find replacements rather quickly with the players they have/acquire. Jones can be replaced with Wilson Betemit, their young 3B whos line last year in 246 AB's was .305/.359/.435, and walker to start at 2nd. the cubs find their starting LF, who can back up 3B, and play some RF i believe. His bat might not be worth his contract, but at 17 mil for 1 more year (with a 15 Mil option in 07 that vests only after 450 PA's), the risk is moderate, for a .400+ OBP. This also makes murton expendable, and could be a very valuable trade chip in acquiring a RF, a CF, or an SP. I would shop murton to every ML team looking for a cheap productive LFer , those would be: Marlins Yankees Athletics Padres Rangers Nationals Dodgers I think there are many oppurtunities among this list to acquire an innings eater, a stopgap CF with good defense, or a Big Bat in RF. I like a murton + williams/hill + Sing/Harvey for Zito deal. How does this sound (speculating): 2B M. Giles (5M) .366 Career OBP CF Lofton (4M?) .373 1B Lee (8.7) .363 3B Ramirez (11M) .329 RF B. Giles (13M?) .413 LF Jones (17M) .401 SS Cedeno (.5M) .356 (in 80 AB's) C Barrett (3M) .320 SP Prior (3M) SP Zambrano (5M) SP Zito (7M) SP Wood (11M) SP Maddux (9M) RP Rusch (3M) RP Van Buren (.3M) RP Williamson (1M) RP Novoa (.5M) RP Ohman (.5M) RP Howry (3.5M?) RP Dempster (5M) Bench C Blanco (1.5) IF Fontenot (.3M) IF Theriot (.3M)/D'Angelo Jimenez? (1.5M) OF Hairston (.5M) OF Sweeney (1.5M) Total = 100M without breaking a sweat :)

I think the question isnt that the ownership variable should change, because any team that is in the top 5 in payroll should be putting togther much better than a below 500 team, it is the managment handling the resources. Macphail IMO, and alot of the people under him, maybe even hendry, baker of course, should be looking for another job. The ownership has given us more than sufficient monetary options, but the unwillingness to go over many of the Prized FA's over the last few years (Tejada, Pudge, Thome, etc..) even though in hindsight, some ot them wouldnt of looked so good right now, at the time they ownership had the money, but would not throw their money at it to make the team better, and instead settled with the Burnitz's, and the like that have becomed a staple in cubdom recently.

i dont think its as much the ownership needing a change, as it is a certain CEO needing the oust. The cubs regime needs a complete change. The philosohpy over the last 2 decades is not wat produces championship teams, and we will continue to see dysfunctional teams until something is done. The resources are there, i think 100+ mil and growing is MORE than enough to get the job done, but with the cubs front office the way it is, im worried the tribune will get fed up with the inability to make the jump to a consistent playoff team, and lower payroll.

its looking more and more like this san diego radio station is the equivalent of our "beloved" Score. The pieces dont seem to fit. Why would Giles accept most likely about 20 mil and a year less than he could make on the open market? Is the hometown discount really that much?

At that cost and his age I would have to say no thanks. I would much rather they throw a lot of minor league talent at someone like the Reds for Dunn or Phillies for Abreu and then sign that player to a long term deal. Nothing against Giles, but it just seems like he is going to be overvalued due to the free agent class he is in. In an isolated sense, I will agree that 5/50 is overpaying. On the other hand, there's no guarantee that Dunn or Abereu are even on the market or that the Cubs have the young players to get a deal done. I personally don't think the Cubs have the players to match up with the Reds, even if they were inclined to trade Dunn. I'm not even sure the Phillies want to trade Abereu. Based on all that, we can't afford to go into 2006 with an outfield of Murton, Preston Wilson, and Jaque Jones. We just have to bite the bullet and pay for Giles. I think that Giles is a gamble that the cubs have to be willing to take in order to be succesfful this offseason. Unless the Hendry can work some magic and land Bradley (who I think is more and more likely to become a Cub by the day), and someone like Dunn or Abreu, Giles is the power bat we desperetly need in RF. There is no excuse for the cubs to get him unless some idiot team like the Nationals throws 5 years at him (which i dont believe will happen). Even worse tho, if a division rival snags him, and Hendry lets it happen under his watch, he doesnt deserve the positin as Cubs GM, regardless of his past "accomplishments"

One of our TJS reliever projects has worked out great so far, id like to see what Dotel could do here to. Give him a 2 year deal, 1.5 mil the first year, 4 mil the 2nd, with a 3rd year team option worth 6 mil.

this is why you hope that some team like Arizona will overpay for neifi (ugh that sounds bad saying that) "forcing" Jim to go after another option :D

yup

The brewers are in need of one more big bat, and they have the trading chips to do it. I think they would like to move sheets though, as his contract jumps from 6.5 to 11.5 in 2006. I could see a deal to a team such as Baltimore, or Texas could see a need for him, in a package for one of the players mentioned in this thread. A Sheets+Clark to the Yanks for Posada maybe?

If bradley can get his attitude straight under baker, and concentrate on being productive, then his bat alone will make a difference, add to that castillo and lowe, and the cubs come away looking alot better than we could of expected with most deals. I fear hendry will not sign giles after this trade though, and go after a "suitable veteran RF", such as hidalgo, and pass up the chance to go after a dunn.

how much would nomar stand to make in arbaration? If the sum is not to harsh, i wouldnt mind signing him to be a super utility player. He would split time at SS, 2B, LF, and even 3B. Keep him healthy, and maximize his starts. The depth would be incredible, if the players to fill those 4 positions were to be: Nomar, Furcal, Walker, Murton, Ramirez, FA bench OF, and Cedeno.

6 FA's If history is indicative of anything, it will tell us this will not happen, i think that 2-3 of the listed will sign, and those are Furcal, Howry, and Lofton. The rest of the team will be filled through trades IMO. Hendry will definately need to get creative, and start looking at the entire league and every trade possibility possible. I Think the way hendry handles this offseason will say alot about how he will handle this team in the long run. 1) will he control the team, or is Baker still control what players he acquires? 2) will he be aggresive enough, and forfeit big money on a maruqee player, or be creative and make another out of nowhere trade? 3) and what direction does he want this team to go in?

i really hope so, this was a blast last year.

Man, I didn't know they were from Chicago? course not, it is well known the Giles brothers hail from the SoCal shoreline, Brian from El Cajon, CA, and Marcus from SD.

Frontloaded contract works for me, makes it easier to resign our young studs in 07 and 08 4/48 2006: 15 mil 2007: 14 mil 2008: 10 mil 2009: 9 mil

Im sure that if Nomar and Cedeno are the starting infielders next year (which I would be alright with) that between them, and backing up Ramirez at 3rd, he could get well over 100 starts.

Maybe Hendry has a younger (possibly better) guy on his radar in a trade..... hopefully would be nice if he could pull off another Choi for Lee. Patterson for Burrell? Patterson for Hunter?

sign him, and designate him as the utility guy. With him on the team ALONG with say Walker/Cedeno and Nomar/Furcal. The bench will be ESPECIALLY strong. I love his versatility. get this guy hendry.

I think alot of this has to do with a couple things. One has been the management at the Pro level. Whens the last time a coach led this team to more than 1 playoff birth? Well you have to look back ALL the way to the last NL Pennant winning coach, Charlie Grimm (1933-1938, 1945-1949, 3 NL Pennants) And not just the manager, the whole coaching staff in general. I am very displeased with everyone on the staff and blame alot of 2005's mishaps on them. How many prospects have gone to ruins in recent years, or could not do anything for the cubs, either to being groomed, rushed, or just misused? I think if the cubs expect to have a strong youthful team relying on a core of certain players, then they need to be able to acquire or develop both positional, and pitching prospects at a much higher level. Even at 100 million dollars, you cannot sign star power players, or afford them if you have a team filled with 5 mil vets.

This is news to my ears I really didnt want the cubs to shell out the 8-12 mil it will take to get furcal, and for 4 years he will likely command, if anythign i hope this news makes Hendry rethink not resigning Nomar, and Walker. I would rather us just go with these 2 for our MIF, and have Cedeno back them both up

He would because: 1) The Phils need young, affordable pitching. 2) The Phils have to move salary and Abreu could be the one. No one will want Thome's contract and Ryan Howard can't play the OF. Moving Abreu in such a deal still doesn't solve what to do with Thome and Howard. My guess is the Phillies will say Abreu is available to someone who will give players and take Thome. A team like Boston or the Orioles might bite on such a deal. If the Phillies move a big contract, and it's not Thome, I'd look for Burrell to be moved instead. The Cubs have to act as a middle man to get Abreu and send Thome to an AL team. Thome's contract would be split among the three teams, with the Cubs giving up the most young talent and taking on the fewest Thome dollars. I'd rather not get into a Mike Hampton situation, but for Abreu, it might be worth it, I can only think of a few players I would have rather than Abreu right now. The Phillies have 77 million invested in only 3 players over the next 2 years (Burrell, Abreu, and Thome). No doubt about it, one of these three is going to be moved this season for the the phillies to have any breathing room this offseason. I put my money that 2 of them will be packaged together in a multiteam deal that will likely take a long time to get everybody happy with. That being said, if the cubs are looking to get into this as a middleman, and send thome to a AL team to be a DH, and get Abreu or Burrell in the process, they should be aware of the risks at hand. 1) What if Abreu's 2nd half numbers are an indication of a decline for 2006? 2) what if the prospects they send end up panning out more than expected, and the deal in a few years look like a complete steal for the Phillies 3) and what if Abreu's (and even thome's) contract make it difficult to resign Prior, Zambrano and some of our other young guys. Heres a deal that might work: Cubs get: Abreu, and Jason Michaels Cubs give: Harvey, Hill, Sing, Patterson, and Money (see below) Phillies get: Harvey, Hill, Chacon, and Patterson Phillies give: Abreu, Michaels, and Money Yankees get: Thome, Sing, and Money Yankees give: Chacon With the derpature of Williams, the Yanks need a DH, and Thome fits the role perfectly, his numbers could even increase without having to play defense. Him and Giambi would switch off DH and 1B, a cycle the Yanks are using currently with Giambi and Martinez. Money Transaction Cubs pay 3 mil of Thome Salary in 06' Phillies pay 3 mil of Thome Salary in 07' Cubs and Phils each pay 1.5 (3 mil combined) of Thome Salary in 08' Cubs are obliged to pay 16 mil in Abreu and Thome Contracts in 06' Cubs.....to pay 15 mil of Abreu Contract in 07' Cubs to pay 1.5 mil in Thome contract in 08' (Abreu has 16 mil option with 2 mil buyout) The prospect hit is big, but thats about what it would take to get these 2. The money isnt too hard, and with Abreu, and Michaels, we dont have to sign a OF in FA, then plug in Murton in LF, and Hairston to back up all of them, sign a true OF bench in FA.

same, he probably worked hard to get where he is at right now at this point in his life, (probably harder than some GM's do in their whole career) I wish him luck.

we need to trade for a BP arm, spending 6-8 million on one in FA is not the answer. Get one in a package deal like the Walker and Patterson for Hunter and Crain deals.

2 things 1. Getting the right deal for him: There are a couple ways that you can go about it. You can give up the farm for him, and the red sox would only pickup a little more than half of the his salary. You can also offer to take on most of the contract, and give mininal prospects. 2. Boston isnt necessarily aching him to trade him. Hes still the same manny that hes been for the past 3-4 years, and hes worth every penny. I think the wanting to be trading hype is just construed by the New England media at the trade deadline. Giles can give us about 75% of the production that Manny would give us at a smaller price, now i would be all for getting Manny if the circumstances would allow it, but Giles is the biggest Offensive threat to come into the FA market in the last 2 years, and we need to jump on this oppurtunity. Im drooling at what his home power splits would be at wrigley.